Once again, gentle reader, the professor begins his annual summer examinations on the subject of religion. Today’s question: How well do you know the religions of our political and social leaders?

1. President Donald Trump has a Jewish daughter and Lutheran ancestors. Which faith is he a member of today?

A. Episcopal

B. Baptist

C. Congregationalist

D. Presbyterian

2. The first lady, Melania Trump, is the first naturalized citizen to become first lady and the second first lady to be born overseas, after Louisa Adams. Which church is she a member of?

A. Presbyterian

B. Serbian Orthodox

C. Evangelical

D. Catholic

3. Vice President Mike Pence says that there is nothing more important to him than his faith and he keeps a well-used Bible with him to help in difficult situations. What is his Christian faith?

A. Catholic

B. Evangelical

C. Pentecostal

D. Methodist

4. Former senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton identifies herself with which church, and has a clergyman from that faith as her spiritual adviser?

A. Catholic

B. Evangelical

C. Methodist

D. Episcopal

5. Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin does not normally discuss her denomination in public. But which kind of church does she worship in?

A. Independent Bible

B. Baptist

C. Calvary Chapel

D. Latter-day Saints (Mormon)

6. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, preached to crowds of thousands in England, and died as a widely beloved man. But before he became known as a preacher, he was an unsuccessful missionary in America and left our shores as a disappointed man. In which British colony did he attempt to convert the Americans?

A. Maryland

B. Georgia

C. Virginia

D. Delaware

7. From the founding of the United States to the 19th century, elected American leaders appointed only Protestant Christians to key positions. Which of these politicians broke that tradition by deliberately appointing Catholics and Jews as well as Protestants to his cabinet?

A. Abraham Lincoln

B. Ulysses Grant

C. Andrew Johnson

D. Jefferson Davis

8. Our first president, George Washington, was a member of which church?

A. Catholic

B. Congregationalist

C. Presbyterian

D. Episcopal

9. In many Protestant denominations the term PK means the preacher’s kid, who is often one of the wildest kids in town. Which American president was a PK?

A. George Bush

B. Woodrow Wilson

C. Theodore Roosevelt

D. Lyndon Johnson

10. Ninety percent of the members of the United States Congress identify themselves as Christians. Which religion is not professed by any of our national elected officials?

A. Hinduism

B. Buddhism

C. Islam

D. Believers in all the above are elected and serving.

Answers: 1-D, 2-D, 3-B, 4-C, 5-A, 6-B, 7-D, 8-D, 9-B, 10-D

Gregory Elder, a Redlands resident, is a professor of history and humanities at Moreno Valley College and a Roman Catholic priest. Write to him at Professing Faith, P.O. Box 8102, Redlands, CA 92375-1302, email him at askfathergregory@verizon.net or follow him on Twitter @Fatherelder.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com.